The Supranova Model and Its Implications

The supranova model for gamma-ray bursts, originally proposed by Vietri & Stella (1998), has several unique features that make it attractive for the interpretation of GRBs and their afterglows, and it has emerged as a promising candidate for modeling the evolution and environment of at least some GRB sources. This review summarizes the model and its key observational implications, assesses its strengths and potential weaknesses, and outlines paths for future observational and theoretical work.